


Thunderstorm

by Leni



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-10-28
Updated: 2010-10-28
Packaged: 2017-10-12 22:48:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 943
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/129964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Leni/pseuds/Leni
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A look into Harry's childhood. <i>Petunia shuddered as another bolt of thunder reverberated through the house.</i></p>
            </blockquote>





	Thunderstorm

Petunia shuddered as another bolt of thunder reverberated through the house. She drew the covers tighter around her legs and tried to dissimulate her instinctive apprehension by staring fixedly at the newsman on the TV screen. She bit her lip as the growl of nature was followed by the cries of her son. Really, there could be no peace in this house. With a sigh, she raised herself and set to go upstairs when she heard Vernon's heavy steps in the direction of Dudley's room.

Normally she would have run to her baby's aid; he was such a sensitive child! But today had been a particularly difficult day, what with Dudley's demands for more bacon at breakfast, Vernon's grumbles about work which he insisted she should hear and Harry's…. For a moment Petunia couldn't truthfully find a fault in their imposed houseguest, but she quickly shook herself out of it and decided that his presence alone was bothersome enough. Besides, the weather hadn't helped to improve her mood.

She had hated storms since she was little. Even though she'd been the older sister, she'd been the one to dive under the bed at the first sign of lighting. From her hiding place she'd had to suffer Lily's enthusiastic reaction and she often had been forced to watch her sister's bare feet dance senselessly with only the sound of thunder and rustling trees as background. As she'd grown, Petunia's habits had changed from the security of her bed to its adult version: well ensconced in her favorite couch, with a mug of strong coffee and the TV blaring before her.

Vernon roared in frustration as Dudley's cries continued and Petunia could hear her husband's desperate promises of new games and fantastic toys, if only little sweet Dudley would stay silent? The boy finally stopped when his father said the magic words: Street Fighter. That game wasn't exactly to Petunia's taste, but she had to smile at Dudley's cleverness. If he'd managed to strike such a good bargain at his age, think of what he'd be able to do later! Of course she planned to have another talk with Vernon about this growing obsession of their son's. Video games were fine, and she'd heard they helped with a child's concentration and dexterity, but she barely saw her baby outside the kitchen nowadays!

Petunia frowned to herself. Was she being a selfish mother? Of course the boy deserved to be a little spoiled. Since Lily's son had arrived, they'd had to deprive _their_ son of many things. It wasn't their fault, and they tried to make Dudley understand that when he had one of those awful tantrums, but such was the cost of feeding another mouth.

She jumped in her seat and could have sworn the entire house had shaken this time. Then she shook her head and tried to relax, but she was startled again when she saw a shadow move across the window. The shadow turned, and for an instant Petunia believed she'd called Lily's ghost with her thoughts. Those green eyes, as penetrating and alert as hers had never grown into. But that was a foolish thought, whatever Lily had claimed, ghosts couldn't exist.

'Freak,' she thought, ignoring the boy at the window as she focused back on the TV. How Harry managed to slip around the house unnoticed was a mystery. Vernon was of the idea of locking him in, but Petunia still wasn't convinced. Sure, that behavior wasn't normal. Children should stomp or run or make some kind of _noise_ when they moved. Her Dudley did all those things. She could always tell where her baby was just by straining her hearing, like with his dad. Of course Harry didn't have a strong countenance like his cousin's; even the doctor had frowned deeply the last time he'd checked the boy. But neither she nor Vernon could be placed at fault for that. They did more than was necessary, giving him a roof and a decent bed.

Petunia stole a quick glance at her nephew, making sure he didn't notice less the boy got any ideas that she was concerned or something. She needn't have worried. She caught him staring out of the window, watching the storm rave with the slightest smile in his young face. 'Freak,' she thought mercilessly again.

A strike of lightning illuminated everything and framed the boy's face, somehow that strange scar stood highlighted as a result. Petunia shuddered again, even though now there was no thunder to scare her. She didn't know the whole story behind Harry's arrival, and she hadn't asked the old man for details. It was enough to know that her only sister was dead – and whatever had happened, Lily was still her sister and Petunia had eleven years full of worthwhile memories – and that an orphan was to be placed in her hands, where he obviously didn't belong.

The only Evans in Harry was concentrated in those eyes. Otherwise the boy was a Potter through and through, with a Potter's tendency for magical abilities. No, no, no. Not normal at all. And worse, it had to be considered _dangerous_ , Vernon was right about that. How could a five-year-old be placidly watching a furious storm? Normal children were frightened, like she had been and now Dudley was. Those like Lily and Harry abandoned their homes at eleven and never ever looked back.

Petunia furrowed back into the couch, raised the volume even more and waited for the next bout of thunder. This storm would take long to stop. Six years to go, she thought, suddenly exhausted. Six endless years.

 

***

The End  
23/11/05


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